Mary Cheek, Samuel Pepys, Maxwell House Coffee, and Me

I found a condensed version Modern Library Edition of the diary of Samuel Pepys in our library’s monthly book sale about two years ago. I paid $1.00 for it. I already had a large copy of his diary, albeit also condensed, but this one was not only a small pocket version, but it had an interesting bookplate in it. I love bookplates.

The bookplate said, “Mabel Wood Cheek” on the left side of the plate and “Her Own Book” on the right. The book had belonged to Mabel Wood Cheek at one time. On the bookplate in the lower left margin, written in Roman numerals, MCMXI-XII, 1911-12. I got to investigating. Mabel Wood had married Leslie Cheek of Nashville, Tennessee, partner with his brother Christopher in a wholesale grocery business. Leslie was president of the company by 1915. 

Leslie’s cousin, Joel Cheek, had developed a very good coffee which he marketed through Nashville’s finest hotel, the Maxwell House Hotel. Leslie and Mabel were among the investors of Maxwell House Coffee which was sold in 1928 for about $40 million dollars.

With the sale of the business, Leslie then bought 100 acres in West Nashville and built an English-like estate with beautiful gardens. It was completed in1932, Leslie died in 1934, but Mabel lived there until the 1950’s.

Today it is the site of the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art.


(Cambria 13 font)